Light sensitized plate holding box for compound photographic camera

ABSTRACT

A box for holding light-sensitized plates comprising a frame for supporting a light-sensitized plate, a cover fitted over the frame, a light-shielding plate or drawplate for shielding the sensitized plate from the light and a shielding member disposed adjacent to an inlet through which the drawplate is inserted into the frame. The shielding member is adapted to advance elastically into the inlet when the drawplate is pulled out of the frame, thereby ensuring further light-tight shielding when the drawplate is displaced. In order to avoid trouble when developing the images formed, it is convenient to use a sensitized plate coated with sensitizing solution on its back and to place it on the back of the plate provided with microlenses. This enables the sensitized plate in the holding box to be removed in the developing solution from the holding box. For that purpose the holding box should be made of such material that withstands the chemical reaction resulting from the developing agent.

United States Patent Ataka A [54] LIGHT SENSITIZED PLATE HOLDING BOX FOR COMPOUND PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA [72] Inventor: Hisanori Ataka, Kawasaki-shi, Japan [731 Assignee: Kabushlki Kaisha Ricoh, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: May 14,1969

21] Appl.No.: 824,420

[ Feb. 15,1972

Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Kenneth C. Hutchison Attorney-Burgess, Ryan and Hicks [57] w ABSTRACT A box for holding light-sensitized plates comprising a frame for supporting'a light-sensitized plate, a cover fitted over the frame, a light-shielding plate or drawplate for shielding the sensitized plate from the light and a shielding member disposed adjacent to an inlet through which the drawplate is inserted into the frame. The shielding member is adapted to advance elastically into the inlet when the drawplate is pulled out of the frame, thereby ensuring further light-tight shielding when the drawplate is displaced.

In order to avoid trouble when developing the images fonned, it is convenient to use a sensitized plate coated with sensitizing solution on its back and to place it on the back of the plate provided with microlenses. This enables the sensitized plate in the holding box to be removed in the developing solution from the holding box. For that purpose the holding box should be made of such material that withstands the chemical reaction resulting from the developing agent.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures INVENTOR H/SANOR/ ATAKA W ATTORNEYS 7 PAIENTEDFEB 16 1912 saw 1 0F 2 FIG.

AWN v PAIENTEDFEB 15 ma sum 2 05 z INVENTOR H/sA/ v ofi/ AT /(A BY gm *AQL ATTORNEYS LIGHT SENSITIZED PLATE HOLDING BOX FOR COMPOUNDPHOTOGRAPIIIC CAMERA BACKGROUND OF THE lNVENTlON During the movement of this shielding plate, the light'tight sealing of an inlet opening (to be referred .to as inlet hereinafter) through which the shieldingplate moves into and away from thecassette must be completely attained. In other words, when the shieldingplate is inserted to cover the light sensitized plate, it must be securely in position so that it may not fall'off from the cassette while the inlet is completely lighttightly sealed or shielded. On the. other hand when the shielding plate a is pulled out from the cassette, it must move smoothly while said complete light-tight sealing of the inlet is maintained and even at the instant when the shielding plate is pulled completely out of the cassette, the light-tight sealing must be also-maintained .without permitting any undesired light from entering into the cassette.

Generally in the conventional sensitized plate holding box fora camera, the hairy fabric materials having many fine hairlike fibers have been used for light shielding purpose as described above. However, in the case of the cassette for compound photography, the cassette is large in size and is used more frequently as compared with the conventional one so that the shielding members disposed in and around the inlet must-be more rigid in construction and more reliable in .operation than the conventional one. So far there has not been available such a cassette which functions satisfactorily for the above described purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In brief, the present invention provides a light-sensitized plate holding box or cassette comprising a frame for supporting a light-sensitized plate, a cover-adapted to fit over said frame, means for fitting. said cover upon said frame, a lightshielding plate to be fitted into said frame through an inlet opening formed in-one side surface of said frame and a lightshielding member disposed adjacent to said inlet.

The shielding member. is adapted to be pressed against the shielding plate when the latter is fitted into the inlet and to be elastically advanced into the inlet when the shielding plate is pulled out of the frame, thereby providingshielding for the light-sensitized plate, which is supported in the frame and which is light-tightly'covered by the cover at the surface opposite to the-light-shielding plate.

Since the-shielding member can completely light-tightly seal the inlet even at the instant when the light-shielding plate is pulled out of the frame and after it has been pulled out completely, the light-sensitized plate within the cassette may be completely prevented from accidental exposure through the inlet.

In the present invention, a light-sensitized plate has a special construction consisting of a densely arranged microlens group formed at the front surface of a support and a light sensitized layer formed at the back surface thereof. When the exposed plate is to be processed, its cassette is placed in a developing vessel and the cassette structure is disassembled by removing the cover fromthe frame so that the exposed plate may be removed from the frame and immersed in the developing solution.

The means for fitting or engaging the cover over the frame comprises elastic bodies disposed on the side of the frame and recesses formed'in the cover for engagement with the elastic bodies when the cover is fitted over the frame. To remove the cover from the frame, the elastic bodies may be depressed inwardly by suitable means which may be inserted through a notch formed so as to communicate with the recess so that the elastic bodies may be released from their respective recesses.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a light sensitized plate holding box or cassette which may be detachably fitted into the camera body and in' which is disposed in position a light-sensitized plate having a densely arrayed microlens group formed upon the front surface thereof and a light sensitized layer formed upon the rear surface thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a holding box or cassette of the type described above in which the assembly or disassembly of the frame and the cover can be facilitated, thereby facilitating the handling of the light sensitized plate held therein.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical view illustrating one example of an optical system used in compound photography;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a compound photographic camera to which is fitted a light-sensitized plate holding box or cassette according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view with a part broken away of a holding box or cassette according to the present invention being adapted to be fitted into the exposure section of the compound photographic camera and having a second lens having a light-sensitized layer .(corresponding to a light sensitized plate);

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, on larger scale, of one part thereof;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view thereof;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a light shielding member; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of one part of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Prior to the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outline of a compound photographic camera to which the present invention is best applied will be described briefly for better understanding of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows an optical system of a compound photographic camera in which a first lens 1 having a relatively large diameter is an objective lens directed toward a subject to be photographed; and a second lens 2 is disposed behind the first lens 1; and a movable aperture 3 is disposed immediately behind the first lens 1 and perpendicular to the axis 0 thereof.

The second lens 2 is comprised of a plurality of mircolenses arrayed in rows and columns into a gridlike configuration. The second lens 2 therefore serves to split an inverted image formedby the first lens 1 into finely divided images and focus them as erect images upon a light-sensitized layer 4. The aperture 3 is adapted to move vertically and horizontally within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis 0 of the first lens so that the aperture 3 serves to determine the position or portion of the light-sensitized layer 4 upon which a finely split image, containing only one limited portion of said inverted image formed by the first lens 1, is focused through a microlens element. The same effect may be attained by disposing the aperture 3 within the first lens 1.

Let it be assumed that an inverted image A is formed by the first lens 1 between this lens and the second lens 2. A small portion Aa of the image A contained in a light ray through the aperture 3 and incident upon a microlens elements 2a is focused upon the sensitized layer 4 as a erect split image Aaa. Another portion An of the image A contained in another light ray through the aperture 3 and incident upon another microlens element Art is focused upon the sensitized layer 4 as another erect split image Ana.

When'the aperture 3 is formed at a position indicated by 3a and when the first lens 1 is directed to another subject, the image B of this subject is formed by the first lens 1. A small portion Ba of this image B contained in a light ray through the aperture 3a and incident upon the microlens element 2a is focused upon the sensitized layer 4 as an erect split image Baa. in a similar manner as described above, another portion Bn of the image '8 is focused upon the layer 4 as an erect split image formed by the first lens are focused upon the sensitized 4 in a similar manner as described above but at unexposed portions thereof, that is portions intermediate portions exposed in the above first and second exposures. It will be noted of course that the portion of the image passing through the aperture 3 at a new position must not overlap at any extent with the portions passing through the aperture at the preceding positions.

' The shutter mechanism adapted to open and close a selected aperture for photography may be disposed at any suitable position between the first and second lenses 1 and 2. The aperture is adapted to move horizontally or vertically in a predetermined order in response to the closure of the shutter to a new position for the next photography.

Since the finely split images of an image formed by the first lens are distributed over the whole surface of the sensitized layer and not overlapped one upon another.

The number of pictures to be photographed through the aperture of the type described above is dependent upon a ratio of an exposure area when the aperture forming shielding plate is removed, to an exposure area when an aperture is formed. In other words, a number of pictures to be photographed is determined by a ratio of an effective area of the first lens at the position of the aperture to an opening area of the aperture. Let it be assumed for example that the effective diameter of the first lens at the position of the aperture be 30 mm.; its focal length, 95 mm.; the distance between the aperture and an image formed by the first lens, 80 mm; the distance between the aperture and the second lens, 40 mm.; the opening area of the aperture, [.2 mm. l.2 mm. and the displacement pitch in both direction of the aperture, 3 mm. When the aperture is displaced in seven steps or rows and columns in both directions, the total of 49 pictures or scenes may be exposed upon the light sensitized layer 4.

As described above, the finely split images of an image formed by the first lens are distributed over the various portions of the surface of the sensitized layer, it is impossible to recognize what kind of images are recorded upon the layer. The finely split images may be recognized for example by pro jecting the images upon a reflecting screen by the projecting light which emanates from a light source behind the second lens and travels along the optical path similar to that used in the exposure. It will also be clear to those skilled in the art that the second lens may be disposed at a position ahead of the position where the image is formed by the first lens so that this image may be finely split for recording in a similar manner as described hereinabove.

Now the primary object of the present invention is to provide a light-sensitized plate cassette which can be detachably mounted upon a compound photographic camera of the type described above and in which is stored a light-sensitized plate having its front surface layer composed of a plurality of microlenses of the type described above and a light-sensitized layer formed at its rear surface.

FIG. 2 shows one example of a compound photographic camera incorporating therein the optical system as shown in FIG. 1. At the front panel of the box-type camera body are disposeda lens barrel supporting therein the first lens, a view-finder aperture for positioning the camera to a subject, a

3 is displaced to another position interlight window for a photoelectric transducer element'intereonnected to an automatic exposure control device,etcl' (All of them are not shown except the lens barrel 5). Upon the rear or back panel 6 of the camera body are disposed an eyepiece 7 optically connected to said viewfinder aperture, a second lens cassette 8 in which a square second lens 2 is light-tightly housed, cassette locking plate 10 whose one side edge is joined to the camera body by a hinge 9, a locking plate releasing member 11 and a shielding plate receiving inlet 13 for receiving a light-shielding plate 12 removably attached to the cassette 8.

Upon one side panel of the camera body is provided an indicator window l4-for indicating the number of photographs made or to be made, while on the other side panel is provided a chamber or space for receiving batteries for a miniature motor for driving both the shutter mechanism and the movable aperture. Below the bottom of the camera body extends a grip 15 for facilitating the holding of the camera securely. From this grip 15 extends a trigger-shaped shutter releasing member 16. As shown in FlGS. 3 to 6, the light-sensitized plate cassette 8 having therein a light sensitized plate of the type described which comprises a frame 18 whose one side surface has an inlet 17 for the light-shielding plate 12, a cover 19 adapted to be fitted over the frame 18, said shielding plate 12 and plate springs 20 disposed upon the opposing outer surfaces of the frame respectively, said plate springs 20 being outwardly arcuately shaped. The second lens 2 having a light-sensitized layer is fitted into the frame 18 from the back thereof and then the shielding plate 12 is inserted through its inlet 17 so that the second lens 2 may be light-tightly protected. in the inner wall of the frame 18 is formed a shielding plate guide groove 17a which communicates with both ends of the inlet 17 so that light is prevented from findingits way toward the second lens from the periphery of the shielding plate 12.

In the wall encircling or fitted over the frame 18 of the cover 19 are formed recesses 21 (see FIG. 5) which are adapted to engage with the outwardly arcuately shaped plate springs 20 when the cover 19 is fitted over the frame 18. Therefore, the cover 19 may be fitted over the frame 18 while the portions of the plate springs 20 extending beyond the outer surface of the frame 18 are depressed by, for example, the tip ends of small diameter rods or bars. When the cover 19 is fitted correctly over the frame 18, the plate springs 20 engage with the recesses 21 so that the cover 19 may be prevented from falling off from the frame 18. The cover 19 is further provided with notches 22 through which are exposed one portion of the plate springs 20 when the cover 19 is fitted over the frame 18. These notches 22 serve to receive therein the tip ends of small diameter rods or bars for depressing the plate springs 20 inwardly thereby releasing them from the engagement with the recesses 21 when the cover 19 is removed from the frame 18.

An elongated slot 24 whose inner side edge opens into or communicates with the inlet 17 is formed in the wall of the frame 18 having this inlet 17. This elongated slot 24 is parallel to the side edge of the above wall of the frame 18 and is adapted to receive therein a bar-shaped shielding member 25 having the construction as shown in FIG. 7. As best shown in FIG. 8, between the cover 19 and the shielding member 25 are interposed springs 26 so that the shielding member 25 may be biased toward the inlet 17 when the cover 19 is fitted over the frame 18. When the shielding plate 12 is pulled out of the frame 18, the shielding member 25 is pushed forwardly by the springs 26 as shown in FIG. 8 so that the inlet 17 is light-tightly closed, thereby preventing light from finding its way toward the second lens, housed in the frame 18, when the shielding plate 12 is pulled out of the frame 18. Since the leading edge 12a of the shielding plate 12 pushes the sloping surface 250 of the shielding member 25, when the shielding plate 12 is inserted into the inlet 17 which is light-tightly closed by the shielding member 25 the shielding plate is retracted against the springs 26. The shielding member 25 also serves to hold in position securely the shielding plate 12 when it is inserted into the frame 18, so that the shielding plate 12 may be prevented from falling off from the frame 18. F urthermore, the shielding member 25 serves to elastically push the cover 19 out of the frame 18 when the cassette structure is disassembled. When the shielding plate 12 is provided with a groove or ridge which is formed at the portion thereof in contact with the shielding member 25 when the plate 12 is inserted into the frame 18 and which is firmly engaged with the member 25, the more secure and positive holding of the shielding plate 12 in position may be ensured.

When the exposed plate is to be processed, the cassette structure 8 is removed from the camera body and is placed in a developing vessel in the dark room. Thereafter the cassette is disassembled by pushing the tip end of a small diameter rod or bar through the notch 22 so that the exposed plate or the second lens 2 may be immersed in the developing solution. To mount the cassette 8 upon the camera body, the locking cover (see FIG. 2) is opened and the groove 23 formed in the periphery of the forward end of the frame 18 is engaged with the mating ridge 6b formed around the exposure opening 6a (see FIG. 6) formed in the rear panel of the camera body. Thereafter, the locking cover 10 is closed to hold in position the cassette securely.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention can positively prevent the light leakage through the shielding plate inlet and the shielding plate from falling off from the cassette when the plate is attached to the cassette.

The present invention has been so far described with particular reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected without departing from the true spirit of the present invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

.1. A light-sensitized plate holding box for a compound photographic camera comprising a frame for supporting therein a light-sensitized plate;

a cover adapted to be fitted over said frame so as to cover said light-sensitized plate;

means for said fitting of said cover over said frame;

a light-shielding plate adapted to be inserted through an inlet formed at one side surface of said frame for shielding said light-sensitized plate; and

a light excluding member disposed adjacent to said inlet;

said means for said fitting of said cover over said frame consisting of elastic bodies extending from the upper and lower surfaces of said frame and recesses formed in said cover for engagement with said elastic bodies.

2. A light'sensitized plate holding box as defined in claim 1 wherein said recesses are provided with notches for use in disengaging said cover from said frame. 

1. A light-sensitized plate holding box for a compound photographic camera comprising a frame for supporting therein a Light-sensitized plate; a cover adapted to be fitted over said frame so as to cover said light-sensitized plate; means for said fitting of said cover over said frame; a light-shielding plate adapted to be inserted through an inlet formed at one side surface of said frame for shielding said light-sensitized plate; and a light excluding member disposed adjacent to said inlet; said means for said fitting of said cover over said frame consisting of elastic bodies extending from the upper and lower surfaces of said frame and recesses formed in said cover for engagement with said elastic bodies.
 2. A light-sensitized plate holding box as defined in claim 1 wherein said recesses are provided with notches for use in disengaging said cover from said frame. 